Thermoplastic composition containing a styrene copolymer resin

Abstract

A thermoplastic composition is provided which comprises a blend of a thermoplastic such as a copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride and a modified elastomeric component such as EPM or EPDM which has been modified with a primary amine functional monomer, such as a 2-amino-5-norbornene. The composition has improved impact strength.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A thermoplastic composition comprising a blend of: (a) a thermoplastic component selected from the group consisting of a copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride, a copolymer of alpha methylstyrene and maleic anhydride, a copolymer of styrene and acrylic acid; a terpolymer of styrene, maleic anhydride and methyl acrylate; a terpolymer of styrene, maleic anhydride and acrylonitrile, and mixtures thereof; and   (b) a primary amine-containing elastomeric polymer selected from the group consisting of (i) a random copolymer of ethylene, at least one higher alpha olefin, and a primary amine, and (ii) a random terpolymer of ethylene, at least one higher alpha olefin, a non-conjugated diene, and a primary amine, wherein said primary amine is selected from the group consisting of linear amines represented by the formula CH 2  ═CH--(C n  H 2n )--NH 2  ; a norbornyl amine represented by the formula R--(C n  H 2n )--NH 2 , wherein n is an integer ranging from 0 to 10 and wherein R is a norbornyl group selected from the group consisting of a bicyclo [2.2.1]-hept-5-en-2-yl of the formula: ##STR6## a bicyclo [2.2.1]-hept-2-en-7-yl of the formula: ##STR7## and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
       2. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein said primary amine-containing elastomeric polymer is present in said composition in an amount ranging from about 5 to about 95 weight percent. 
     
     
       3. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein said primary amine-containing elastomeric polymer comprises from about 10 to about 90 weight percent of said ethylene. 
     
     
       4. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1 wherein said primary amine-containing elastomeric polymer comprises from about 0.1 to about 15 weight percent of said primary amine. 
     
     
       5. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein said terpolymer comprises from about 0.1 to about 15 weight percent of said diene. 
     
     
       6. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein said higher alpha olefin is propylene. 
     
     
       7. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein said primary amine is a norbornyl amine. 
     
     
       8. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein said norbornyl amine is a 2-amino-5-norbornene. 
     
     
       9. The thermoplastic composition of claim 8, wherein said 2-amino-5-norbornene is 2-methylamine-5-norbornene. 
     
     
       10. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein said primary amine-containing elastomeric polymer is present in said composition as particles dispersed in said (a) thermoplastic, said particles having a size ranging from about 0.01 to about 20 microns. 
     
     
       11. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein said (a) thermoplastic is a copolymer of styrene or alpha methylstyrene and maleic anhydride comprising from about 1 to about 25 weight percent maleic anhydride 
     
     
       12. The thermoplastic composition of claim 10, wherein said styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer or said alpha methylstyrene-maleic anhydride copolymer comprises from about 5 to about 20 maleic anhydride. 
     
     
       13. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein said composition has a flexural modulus ranging from about 10,000 kg/cm 2  to about 35,000 kg/cm 2  measured according to ASTMD 790 at 1% strain. 
     
     
       14. The thermoplastic composition of claim 1, wherein said composition additionally comprises a reaction product of said thermoplastic (a) with said primary amine-containing elastomeric polymer (b).